Maryland Lets Sweepstakes Ban Die As Session Ends

Maryland closed the 2026 session without banning sweepstakes casinos. House lawmakers backed two bills targeting dual-currency casino-style games, but the Senate never took them up. That left the measures dead when the session ended.

Good to Know

• Maryland House lawmakers approved two anti-sweepstakes bills
• The Senate never voted, so both bills failed
• Real-money online casino legislation also got nowhere

Sweepstakes operators got a break in Maryland, but not because the fight went away.

Lawmakers ran out the clock. Two bills aimed at online dual-currency casino games cleared the House with broad bipartisan support, yet neither reached a Senate vote before adjournment in April. So despite clear backing in one chamber, no ban became law.

Regulators wanted those bills badly. State gaming officials said they needed stronger tools against hundreds of unlicensed sites operating in Maryland. The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Commission had already sent dozens of cease-and-desist letters, but officials said only about 25% of operators complied.

Industry groups pushed back and won for now. The Social Gaming Leadership Alliance argued the sweepstakes model does not break Maryland law because users can play for free or buy a separate currency tied to sweepstakes play. Operators compared that structure to McDonald’s Monopoly Sweepstakes rather than illegal gambling.

“SGLA is pleased that neither (bill) became law in Maryland,” wrote Sean Ostrow, SGLA managing director, in a statement provided to iGaming.org.

“While efforts to stamp out illegal gambling are commendable, these two bills went far beyond illegal operators and would have penalized responsible Social Plus companies that offer strong consumer protections and contribute to the Maryland economy.

“Ultimately, our goal is to work with Maryland lawmakers and agencies to regulate Social Plus, protect consumers, and generate tax revenue, and we look forward to these productive conversations heading into the 2027 Maryland legislative session.”

The result also says something bigger about Maryland. The state did not seriously advance real-money online casino bills either. Opposition has come from both parties, along with gaming interests that argue online casino play could hurt tax revenue and cost jobs. Concerns around gambling addiction remain part of that resistance too.

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